commentr/StutterNovember 13, 2025

Content

Yes it’s very fascinating! It seems there’s a very fine balance between all neurotransmitters in order for fluent speech to occur. For stutterers, we have dysregulated neurotransmitters in the speech motor networks, which odd why certain psychotic drugs for other conditions such as ADHD, Tourette’s, bi-polar etc can modulate dopamine signalling and the side effect is better speech fluency for people who stutter. That’s why drugs like Pagoclone and Ecopipam have been treated specifically for stuttering. The issue is, there are subsets of stutterers who fall into the underactive dopamine category and others in the overactive dopamine category. No single drug can fix both categories as they do one or the other, and not both. What they ultimately need is a drug that actually regulates dopamine in these affected speech motor timing areas into the “goldilocks zone” where fluent speakers reside. I think Abilify is the closest medication which does this, but hasn’t been FDA approved specifically for stuttering. Research continues, and I’m praying they get closer and closer. 🙏🏼

Themes

Causes & VariabilityMeds & SubstancesIdentity & Disability

Subthemes

Neurological & BrainHelpful Med OutcomesMedicalization / Neurodiversity

Codes (2)

dopamine_antagonists_antipsychoticsdopamine_modulators_vmat2_inhibitors